The present invention relates generally to in-ear monitoring systems and more particularly, to a device and method for inserting and retaining an acoustical damper in a sound port for in-ear monitoring systems.
Personal or xe2x80x9cin-earxe2x80x9d monitoring systems are increasingly utilized by musicians, recording studio engineers, and live sound engineers to monitor performances on stage and in the recording studio. In-ear systems deliver a music mix directly to the musicians or engineer""s ears without competing with other stage or studio sounds. These systems provide the musician or engineer with increased control over the balance and volume of instruments and tracks, and serve to protect the musician or engineer""s hearing through better sound quality at a lower volume setting. In-ear monitoring systems have replaced conventional floor monitor wedges or speakers, and in turn, have significantly changed the way musicians and sound engineers work on stage and in the studio.
In-ear systems typically utilize earphones that rest in the ear canal of the listener. Typical earphones have a driver mounted within a housing. Sound is conveyed from the output of the driver through a cylindrical sound port that is typically constructed of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) plastic. A suitable ear mold, such as slow recovery foam plugs, couple the sound port to the ear cavity of the listener. These earphones, however, generally have a flat frequency response with an un-damped peak across a known frequency range. The un-damped frequency response results in poor sound quality and often results in user discomfort where complex sounds have an energy concentration in the vicinity of the un-damped peak.
In order to regulate or smooth the frequency response and increase the performance of the earphone, earphones utilize acoustical dampers that that are located within the cylindrical sound port of the earphone. Typical acoustical dampers are stainless steel cylindrical tubes containing a mesh or matrix material that allows sound to pass therethrough. The matrix material provides acoustical resistance to the sound passing through the damper, resulting in a shaped frequency range response. Because of the acoustical damper""s improvement in sound quality and earphone performance, acoustical dampers are essential elements of in-ear monitoring systems.
Conventional methods of inserting and retaining the acoustical damper within the cylindrical sound port include press fitting the damper into the sound port, inserting a wedge to retain the damper within the sound port, or clipping the damper to the sound port. Problems arise, however, with these conventional methods. For example, press fitting requires the application of pressure to force the stainless steel cylindrical damper into the plastic cylindrical sound port. The force applied during press fitting may create cracks in the plastic sound portxe2x80x94possibly resulting in improper seating of the damper within the sound port. Similarly, the use of wedges to retain the damper within the sound port often leads to cracks in the plastic sound port since insertion of the wedge creates a force that exceeds the tensile strength of the plastic sound port. Moreover, transport or handling of the earphones over time may exacerbate the cracks in the plastic sound port, possibly causing the damper to shake loose from the earphone and fall into the ear canal of the user. Additionally, when clips are utilized to retain the damper within the sound port, handling or transport of the earphone over time can cause the clip to loosen. The damper may shift within the sound port and cause a reduction in sound quality.
The aforementioned problems associated with the conventional methods of inserting and retaining the damper within the earphone can result in a defective earphone, and increased manufacturing costs. Accordingly, there exists a genuine need for a method of inserting and retaining a acoustical damper in a sound port that overcomes the disadvantages of the conventional methods. The present invention solves the aforementioned problems.
One aspect of the present invention relates to a device for inserting an acoustical damper in a sound port of an earphone. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the insertion device has a handle connected to an insertion rod. The insertion rod contains a damper retaining rod and displacement members. In operation, the retaining rod holds an acoustical damper on the insertion rod as the damper is guided into the opening of the sound port. When the damper is positioned completely within the sound port, the displacement members contact the opening of the sound port. As force is applied with the insertion device on the sound port, the displacement members form retaining notches at the opening of the sound port. The retaining notches retain the acoustical damper within the sound port. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of inserting and retaining an acoustical damper in a sound port of an earphone by providing a damper insertion device having a retaining rod and displacement members; placing an acoustical damper on the retaining rod of the insertion rod; guiding the acoustical damper into an opening of a cylindrical sound port with the insertion device; positioning the damper completely within the sound port with the insertion device; contacting the displacement members with the cylindrical opening of the sound port; applying pressure with the displacement members to form retaining notches in the sound port; retaining the acoustical damper in the sound port with the retaining notches.
These and other features of the present invention may best be understood with reference to the accompanying drawings and in the following detailed description of the invention.